YOU’RE INVITED…

… to join us at the 46th SoBro Annual Awards Reception, a remarkable evening of celebration as we honor the legacy of one of the Bronx’s premier Community and Economic Development organizations, and pay homage to those who helped “expand foundations for success” in the Bronx.

From an elegant cocktail reception to a spectacular night full of surprises, it will be an evening to remember.

Click Here for the Sponsorship Levels and Benefits opportunities, or email: specialevents@sobro.org and check back as we announce honorees and other pertinent information.

SoBro/EAP: Fearless, Focused, and Prepared

The buzz of the growing Bronx and Upper Manhattan economy is electric, and city-wide, residents with ideas of striking out on their own and laying claim to the many opportunities and programs available are reaching out to SoBro’s Entrepreneurial Assistance Program (EAP) to help them do it. Entrepreneurs from every industry, experience, and background—from home health attendants to those with advanced degrees, come to SoBro’s EAP to develop, grow or expand their business acumen as well as get plugged into the tremendous networking opportunities that come from participating in the courses.

Since its beginning in 1987, SoBro/EAP has assisted over 150 entrepreneurs to start and grow more than 100 small businesses, creating 300 jobs. In November 2017, Paul Sawyer joined SoBro/EAP as its Director after a career in business development spent accruing expertise and firsthand experience running several businesses, as well as bringing an astute knowledge about city and state politics and the city’s economic landscape to bear–which he shares with great skill and passion. Working together with Program Specialist, Jaran Manzanet who runs the SoBro/EAP Venture Center, designed specifically to assist Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs, Mr. Sawyer is out regularly attending community board meetings and networking events throughout the city to gain up-to-the-minute insights into business and economic factors impacting business development and which leads him to be better able to guide entrepreneurs to the best places to set up and establish their businesses. “We are solidly about the business of creating successful businesses and assisting those businesses to be able to create meaningful job opportunities.” (more…)

Bronx PTAC is Honing the Art of Making Strategic Moves

Since 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo have continued to increase their commitment to strongly support the success of minority- and women-owned businesses (M/WBEs) in New York and to increase contracting opportunities, with Mayor de Blasio creating the Office of M/WBEs and appointing a Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives in an ambitious goal of awarding at least 30 percent of the dollar amount of City contracts to M/WBEs by 2021. SoBro’s Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) partnership has been working since 1991 to support city entrepreneurs with the assistance needed to navigate the competitive road to growing their businesses by obtaining certifications qualifying them for these city, state, and federal government contracts–a process in which it is easy to become lost or discouraged.

“Mayor de Blasio has created the Office of M/WBEs and appointed a Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives in an ambitious goal of awarding at least 30 percent of the dollar amount of City contracts to M/WBEs by 2021.”

In 2010, Bronx-born entrepreneur, Linder Washington, came to SoBro/PTAC with her sights set on expanding her janitorial services company. She’d begun her home-based business in 2007, and after attending a city workshop, she was referred to SoBro in 2010 by a Small Business Administration (SBA) administrator. At that time, she had a couple of successful and happy clients, two full-time employees, and the determination that she would see her company grow. She brought her very simple business plan to Evangeline Gelladola, SoBro Assistant Vice President of Procurement and MWBE Programs, who urged her to think more concretely about her goals for her business, afterwhich Ms. Washington was able to write a robust and winning business plan and returned to follow the next steps of preparing to become MWBE-certified to take advantage of local government contract opportunities. Working with SoBro/PTAC, Ms. Washington obtained New York city and state MWBE certifications, as well as her System for Award Management (SAM) registration in October 2011. (more…)

Jobs to Build On… Moving Forward and Up!

Over the last decade, the New York City Council has helped 20,000 NYC residents get a great job through the Jobs to Build On (JtBO) program; 85% of participants are people of color and 60% are women. Of the courageous and determined participants in the SoBro/JtBO program collaboration, we didn’t have to look too far to see a particularly shining result of the initiative than SoBro Business Analyst, Shameeda Bachus. In September 2017, Shameeda found herself six months into (more…)

SoBro YouthBuild: Going Up! Growing Up!

The young adults pictured above were selected to be members in the 2018 SoBro YouthBuild Construction Program cohort after completing a vigorous assessment of their academic and analytical skills, skills critical to fulfilling the demanding responsibilities of working at a real construction site. SoBro prepares every YouthBuild participant to successfully complete the 30-hour OSHA Safety requirement as well as earn the sought after National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) certification (more…)

Community Visioning Session 3 The South Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (SoBRO) invites all members of the community to participate in Community Visioning Session 3 of 4 for the development of the Port Morris – Harlem River Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA). The report for what can be done has been released – now the community will have a voice in how the waterfront will be shaped and assist in determining what will occupy 1.4 miles of Bronx shoreline.

Facilitated by a lawyer, this workshop is designed to give you an overview of the various legal structures that are available to you if you decide to start your own business (e.g. LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp, Sole Proprietorship, etc.), as well as some of the legal and tax consequences of each. This workshop will be an important first step in choosing the legal structure that works best for you.

Website: startsmallthinkbig.org

Port Morris/Harlem River Community Visioning Session #3

Join us on Thursday, September 17 for Community Visioning Session 3 of 4 for the development of the Port Morris – Harlem River Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA). The report for what can be done has been released – now the community will have a voice in how the waterfront will be shaped and assist in determining what will occupy 1.4 miles of Bronx shoreline.

Mission

SoBRO’s mission is to enhance the quality of life in
the South Bronx by strengthening businesses
and creating innovative economic, housing,
educational, and career development
programs for youth and adults.